Fun Size
by ScintillatingAntoinette
Summary: Summary: Peter comes home from work to find a very…different Neal. El's excited, but Peter not so much. No slash. De-aged Neal. These are drabbles and not a continual story.
1. A New Neal

**Disclaimer: **_**White Collar belongs to Jeff Eastin and USA.**_

**Summary: **_**Peter comes home from work to find a very…different Neal. El's excited, but Peter not so much. No slash. De-aged Neal.**_

* * *

"Peter, hon…there's something I think you should see." El had a mischievous expression on her face, as though she was trying to conceal a surprise.

"El…what…is this?" Peter stopped short as he walked into his living room. An adorable little boy with a dark brown curl hanging over his forehead was sitting expectantly on the couch. At his feet lay an anklet with a blinking green light.

"Who is _that_?" Peter demanded.

"That is Neal."

"Shit. Is this another one of Neal's pranks? Where is he?"

"He's right there. By the way he does remember everyone…but he has the emotions of a three year-old. Why don't you go talk to him?" she suggested.

"El! Come back here!" Peter desperately called, but El had already escaped to the kitchen. He gave Neal a glare, but his now very small CI didn't seem to notice. Heaving a sigh, Peter went and sat next to Neal.

"So…uh…do you remember me?" he asked awkwardly. Neal looked up for the first time since Peter had entered the room.

"You'we Petew" he said, the 'r' at the end of Peter's name changed adorably into a 'w'.

"Yeah…I guess I am Petew" Peter said, chuckling despite himself.

"Dinner's ready boys!" El called.

During dinner, Peter couldn't stop staring at tiny CI handling a fork and knife perfectly as though he were a thirty year-old man instead of a three year-old toddler. After dinner El sent Neal up early to bed, doing her best to ignore his little pout.

* * *

"El…we can't keep him."

"It's Neal. I know it's him."

"El. He's a conman" Peter growled.

"He's also an adorable little three year-old boy who cannot take care of himself and cannot be left to Mozzie's mercy!"

Peter stared, he had never seen El this worked up about something before.

"Alright. I'll give it one week."

El gave him a look that clearly said that before the week would be up, Neal would be a permanent member of the Burke household.

"I'll go clean up" she said, excusing herself, "why don't you go and see if Neal's sleeping yet. I gave him one of your old t-shirts to sleep in."

"Why _my_ t-shirt?" Peter muttered to himself as he went upstairs with Satchmo trailing behind him.

"Neal?" Peter knocked softly on the door to the guest room. He heard a cacophony of sniffles and quiet sobs coming from the bed.

"Neal…" Neal looked so tiny and young curled in the middle of the queen-size bed. His baby blues were rimmed with red and he hastily wiped his nose with the sleeve of the t-shirt as Peter walked into the room. Peter internally winced at the sight of his t-shirt being used as a handkerchief.

"Hey…what's wrong?" he murmured, placing a comforting hand on Neal's small back.

"I—I—I wemembew ev'ything."

"Neal, what do you mean by 'everything'?" Peter asked, sounding harsher than he thought.

Neal whimpered only one name, "Kate."

At this, Neal's eyes watered with fresh tears as he sobbed, "she's…dead. Petew."

Neal held out his arms and Peter obligingly scooped him up onto his lap.

"Shhh…it's okay," he comforted, rubbing a hand up and down Neal's tiny back.

"Petew…" Neal's breath was ragged and Peter kept his hand soothingly on Neal's back until his sobs quieted into even breathing.

"I think he's asleep…" El murmured from the bedroom doorway.

Peter slowly lowered Neal back against the pillow and tenderly covered him with a blanket. El hid a smile, she was positive Neal would not be leaving the Burke residence anytime soon.

"Goodnight, Neal" Peter whispered, looking back at the bed where Neal lay.

* * *

**~TBC. Thanks to everyone reviewing my other story. Hope you guys enjoy this one as well!**


	2. People and Presents

**Summary: **_**Jones and Diana stop by the Burke residence to meet little Neal.**_

* * *

"I'm gonna get you" Peter called as he chased a happily giggling Neal Caffrey around his house. El was in the kitchen making cookies and had ordered Peter and Neal to stay out. So Neal had decided he wanted to play Cops and Robbers. Currently, he was the robber and Peter was the cop. As he darted up the stairs with Peter close behind him, the doorbell rang, stopping both of them in their tracks.

Peter cautiously opened the door to a smiling Diana and Jones.

"So, where is he?" Diana asked, practically beaming in anticipation of seeing Neal. Peter had no doubt that if Neal ever returned to his normal size, she'd tease him for the rest of his life.

Peter opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a little voice chirping, "here I am Diana!"

"That's him?" Diana and Jones both stared disbelievingly at the adorable little boy holding onto Peter's leg.

"Say hello to Jones" Peter scooped Neal up, earning a pout from the little boy.

"Darn Petew. You a'ways catch me!" Neal glared at Peter, for the moment ignoring Diana and Jones.

"Why don't you guys come in, El's baking cookies" Peter invited, doing his best to remain oblivious to the adorable pout coming from his tiny CI.

A stunned Diana and Jones followed Peter into the kitchen, where Peter set Neal down on a stool.

"El we have company" Peter smiled as El pulled out two trays of perfectly browned chocolate chip cookies.

"Neal!" El scolded as she saw Neal happily swinging his legs, scraping out and eating the rest of the raw cookie dough with a spoon. He looked up, a cookie dough-filled smile turning into a slightly guilty expression.

"Petew said I could" Neal said, shooting a rather triumphant glance at Peter.

"Peter!" El turned in exasperation to her husband, who threw his hands up in helpless indignation.

"Go upstairs and clean him up," El ordered as she swept Neal off the stool, relieving him of the cookie dough bowl.

Diana and Jones bit back smiles as they watched their boss being conned by a toddler and ordered around by his wife.

"So who wants cookies?" El asked, presenting an enormous plate of cookies to Jones and Diana.

* * *

By the time Neal was cleaned up and Peter brought him back down, half the cookies were gone and Jones had a rather noticeable milk moustache.

"El! El! Can I pwease have a cookie?" Neal jumped up and down excitedly, big blue eyes wide and sparkling.

"Only one" El said, knowing full well that Neal would probably end up having four or more.

Neal smiled charmingly at Jones, showing a mouthful of masticated cookies and crumbs.

"Why are you here?" Neal asked, the cookie making it sound more like "Why oo ewe?"

"Well…we wanted to say hi to you."

"Oh. Did you bwing me a pwesent?" Neal asked hopefully.

"Neal!" chided Elizabeth.

"Actually we did get you something…" Jones reached behind him and pulled out a miniature fedora, black with a white band.

Neal's face shown with delight and he didn't even need to be prompted by El.

"Thank you!" he gave both Diana and Jones an enormous grin as he carefully spun the hat and slipped on his head.

"Well I see he hasn't lost any of the Caffrey charm" Diana commented dryly. Peter, El, and Jones shook their heads laughing as Neal piped up "Nope I haven't!"

* * *

**A/N: **_**First off I want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. Second of all, I want to apologize for not updating this sooner and also for this chapter being so short. I will update a new chapter as soon as possible!**_


	3. Coffee and Clothes

**Summary: Neal gets upset about two very important things in his life. Coffee and Clothes.**

* * *

"But why not?" Neal whined, trying to infiltrate Peter's soul with puppy dog eyes.

"Because" Peter answered, his soul remaining untouched.

"Becawse is not a good answew Petew" Neal pointed out.

"Coffee isn't good for you" El chimed in.

"But-but…" Neal turned and gave her a big, blue-eyed stare.

"Still not good for you. And don't feed Satchmo your cereal" she shook her head.

Neal had the grace to look sheepish and slowly picked his cereal bowl up off the floor.

"So do we know where Mozzie is?" El turned her attention to Peter.

"Not yet. Meanwhile this one" he gestured to Neal who was once again encouraging Satchmo to eat his cereal, "needs some new clothes. He can't keep wearing my t-shirt."

"I'll take him shopping today" El replied, smiling as Neal perked up.

"Can I get a suit? Pwease?" Neal jumped up and down, almost tripping and falling over the hem of Peter's t-shirt.

"We'll see…"

* * *

"But I don't wan' that" Neal looked ready to cry as El held out a red shirt with dogs on it.

"Neal, sweetie. You need clothes that fit you."

"Whyyyy? Can I have this one?" Neal ran up to a white dress shirt.

"No sweetie. Please choose the red with the dogs or the blue stripes."

"B'wue I guess" Neal stared dejectedly at the floor. They had already bought a pair of shoes that were the closest to dress shoes that Neal could find.

"Alright. Let's go" El quickly grabbed a pair of khaki pants that looked like they'd fit Neal and practically dragged Neal to the register.

"Peter! We're home" El called as she opened the door. Neal ran straight upstairs to the guest room where he was staying. El kissed Peter on the cheek as he came from the kitchen.

"Where's Neal?" Peter asked as he released his wife.

"He's upstairs. Hon, I think you should try talking to him. He seemed really upset today," El murmured.

"Neal?" Peter tapped on the door, and when he received no answer, he pushed the door open. Neal was nestled under the blankets on the bed with only the top of his dark head showing.

"Neal?" Peter whispered, putting a surprisingly gentle hand on Neal's back. Neal sat up snuffling, wiping his nose with the sheet. Peter surprised himself by pulling Neal onto his lap.

"Petew…I'm sowwy. I just wanna be nowmal 'gain! I wanna go back to June's an' paint an' I want my clothes an' coffee…" Neal cried.

"Neal…we're doing the best we can" Peter murmured, rubbing Neal's dark hair comfortingly.

Neal only sobbed harder.

"Shhh…Neal it's okay. It's okay, Neal" Peter soothed. He gently pushed Neal back and tilted up his chin so that Neal couldn't look away.

"Neal. Look at me." Neal slowly lifted watery blue eyes and Peter watched his chin wobble.

"What do you want us to do?" asked Peter.

"Nothing, Petew" Neal took a breath, shaking with sobs.

"Are you sure Neal?"

Neal nodded and nestled close to Peter.

"You wanna come to the FBI tomorrow?"

"Petew you cwazy" Neal declared, giving Peter an incredulous look.

"Nah. I'm serious, El's working on a huge party and we are not leaving you alone."

"What 'bout Mozzie?" Neal asked hopefully.

Now it was Peter's turn to give Neal an incredulous look.

"We'd never see you again. You'd disappear off the face of the earth!"

Neal giggled as Peter thumbed away the remnants of his tears.

"Now close your eyes" Peter ordered. Neal simply stared at him, eyes big and blue.

"Neal. It's an order, close your eyes" Peter sighed and resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

Neal squeezed his eyes shut but Peter knew he was still watching. Neal Caffrey, no matter what age, would still find a way to pull off a con.

"Alright open. Even though your eyes are still open," the last statement was muttered under his breath.

"Petew!" came the delighted cry as Neal stared in happiness at the miniature collared shirt Peter pulled out of a bag.

"And…" Peter pulled out a pair of black creased pants.

"Where you get dis?" Neal asked.

"One of El's friends. She owns a bridal boutique and they had some outfits there. So El pulled some strings…" Peter waved his hands, rather helplessly, at Neal who was busily pulling on the pants and shirt.

"Shoes?" Neal asked hopefully.

"Don't get too smart."


End file.
